WCF 4 – God’s Glorious Creation; Man’s Great World

WCF 4 – God’s Glorious Creation; Man’s Great World

Chapter 4:
Of Creation

4:1 It pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (Gen_1:2; Job_26:13; Job_33:4; Joh_1:2, Joh_1:3; Heb_1:2), for the manifestation of the glory of His eternal power, wisdom, and goodness (Psa_33:5, Psa_33:6; Psa_104:24; Jer_10:12; Rom_1:20), in the beginning, to create, or make of nothing, the world, and all things therein whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days; and all very good (Gen 1:1-50:26; Act_17:24; Col_1:16; Heb_11:3).

4:2 After God had made all other creatures, He created man, male and female (Gen_1:27), with reasonable and immortal souls (Gen_2:7; Ecc_12:7; Mat_10:28; Luk_23:43), endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after His own image (Gen_1:26; Eph_4:24; Col_3:10); having the law of God written in their hearts (Rom_2:14, Rom_2:15), and power to fulfil it (Ecc_7:29); and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject unto change (Gen_3:6; Ecc_7:29). Beside this law written in their hearts, they received a command, not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which while they kept, they were happy in their communion with God (Gen_2:17; Gen_3:8-11, Gen_3:23), and had dominion over the creatures (Gen_1:26, Gen_1:28).

Summary statements we are taught:

A. The World Does Not Exist By Itself. (WCF 4.1)

B. The World Is Not Eternal. (WCF 4.1)

C. God Created All Things Out Of Nothing. (WCF 4.1)

D. God Created The Universe In Such A Manner That It Was Very Good In His Sight. (WCF 4.1)

E. All Things Are Created For His Own Glory. (WCF 4.1)

F. Man Is God’s Crowning Work Of Creation. (WCF 4.2)

G. All Of The Human Race Came From One Set (Pair) Of Parents. (WCF 4.2)

H. Man Is Made In The Image Of God (WCF 4.2)

I. Adam, Our First Father, Had Sufficient Knowledge Of The Will Of God (WCF 4.2)

J. Adam Was Capable To Obey As Well As To Disobey God. (WCF 4.2)

K. Man Is To Have Dominion Over The Creatures In His World (WCF 4.2)